The organisation working on the regeneration of The Oval Bandstand and Lawns in Cliftonville as part of the £22.2million Margate Town Deal says the project has been ‘put on hold’ due to Thanet council not releasing the funds in a disagreement over the grant agreement.
Grass (Gordon Road Area Street Scheme) Cliftonville was allocated £500,000 from the town deal in 2021 but, despite carrying out major works, the group is still waiting for £475,000 of the grant to be released.
The delay has resulted in project leaders Stephen Darrer and Simon Bell saying they will find funding elsewhere and Stephen resigning his role on the Margate Town Deal board, which was set up to oversee the scheme.
In September 2019 Margate was announced as one of 100 towns across the country that would receive investment from the government’s Town Deals Fund.
In March 2021 a £22.2million grant was confirmed following the submission of a Town Investment Plan by Thanet council working with the newly created Margate Town Deal board.
The plan outlined four themes for spending the funding. Included in those initial plans was the £500,000 allocation for The Oval Bandstand and Lawns which had previously been taken on by Grass Cliftonville in an asset transfer deal from the council.
In February 2022 Simon and Stephen were among those to display their town deal plans at a Turner Contemporary pop-up.
The proposal was to build a Pavilion at the site, to include training and education, reconfigure the bandstand area so it is a 360 space – a “theatre in the round”- which would mean moving the toilet facilities and create wildflower meadows, lawns, a mini wetland, a mini-forest, and paths lined with wildlife-friendly plants making a “coastal eco-park” alongside artworks, social and activity spaces.
But, more than two years on from that exhibition of plans, GRASS say they are still waiting for the town deal funding and Stephen has resigned from the board due to “a loss of confidence in its effectiveness and the actions of the regeneration officers.”
The organisation has been waiting for the outstanding balance of £475,000 funding. Last summer an initial £25,000 Early Development Funding was released and in September Grass appointed Bell Phillips Architects for the project.
Stephen says an assurance was given by the council’s director of regeneration that the main grant would be released in October but this did not happen.
In a statement Grass says: “We were forced to halt our progress due to the lack of a grant agreement by the end of October 2022. It was a challenging and frustrating situation, especially considering the significant progress we had made and the enthusiasm of the talented architects working on the project.
“Despite the setback, we managed to accomplish RIBA stage 1 and appoint a chartered surveyor to conduct a thorough measured survey of the bandstand. This would have allowed us to initiate comprehensive cost estimations and detailed architectural planning required for the upcoming RIBA stages 2 and 3 of the project and would have also allowed us to apply for match funding.”
One of the sticking points has been the signing of the grant agreement.
Thanet council says until the agreement has been signed it will not be possible to transfer any further public funds to the organisation.
But Stephen says the contract contains clauses about publicity which are one-sided in favour of the council and a non-disclosure agreement – gagging order- is required.
He said: “We want the publicity to be reciprocal so we would both need to sign anything off.” He added that the NDA has prompted his town deal board resignation, saying: “Being subjected to gag orders would significantly impact my ability to participate on the town board. The limitation on expressing my opinions and concerns is contrary to the principles of transparency, accountability, and open dialogue.”
In a statement by Grass it says legal advice from two lawyers supports the position that the contract clauses are unduly burdensome.
It adds: “We raise the question of why TDC is so insistent on retaining these minor publicity clauses, as it should not be an issue for them to address our request to make them reciprocal, which is all we have been asking for.”
Grass has been forging ahead with works at The Oval but says the delays in funding mean the project is now on hold.
Stephen said: “We have done about 3,000 hours on the project and have funded it inhouse. Everything we have done has been with zero support from the council.”
Stephen says there are also issues with funds not being released for revenue costs, such as administration, even though he says there should be 7% of the money available for this and anger that the council is now proposing a due diligence process when this was already completed when the group took on the bandstand.
Thanet council says the grant is for capital works only although Grass argue that money has been used by the authority to appoint officers, including a coastal wellbeing role, which they say is revenue spend.
Grass says: “Regrettably, due to the council’s delay in finalising a grant agreement, which ideally, given our project programme, should have been ready for signing in September 2022, our project faced an indefinite hold.
“This unfortunate turn of events not only disrupted the workflow of the award-winning architects but also jeopardised the opportunity to breathe new life into a neglected asset in one of the most socially and economically deprived areas in the UK.
“The architect’s exceptional work, which held the promise of creating an incredible regeneration project, has been brought to a standstill. It is disheartening that, due to the inaction of TDC, this project will no longer proceed, leaving us deeply disappointed.”
Grass says the concern is that Thanet council may be looking for grounds to deem the bandstand project ‘unviable’ and then “reallocate our project funds elsewhere, potentially to their own projects facing funding shortfalls due to inflation.”
Stephen says The Oval project will continue but” by obtaining funding from elsewhere.”
He claims other community projects under the town deal are also facing “significant challenges in securing revenue funding and receiving adequate support.”
Awaiting signed agreement
In response Thanet council says: “The council is currently awaiting the return of a signed grant agreement from GRASS, which is needed in order to transfer the funding required to progress with delivery of the project.
“This is a standard part of the process set out by the government to ensure that any organisation or third party, in receipt of public funds, has the relevant financial due diligence and governance structures in place.
“Until this agreement has been signed it will not be possible to transfer any further public funds to the organisation, over and above the £25,000 of early capital funding already received.
“This is the process being followed with each of the projects that are being delivered by a third party within the Margate Town Deal and is in place to safeguard public money.”
Bob Porter, Director of Place added: “A tremendous amount of work is going into the development of the Margate Town Deal and the ambitious suite of projects in place to enhance the community in Margate. This is a long-term programme for the improvement of the town, to be delivered between now and March 2026.
“We have been in regular contact with GRASS and explained the processes that are required. We are as keen as they are to see this project through to fruition. When it comes to public spending, it’s critical that we have the necessary safeguards in place, to protect everyone involved.
“GRASS remains a part of the wider Town Deal programme and I hope that we can work together positively to see this project through.”
The proposed investment into the Oval Bandstand and Lawns is part of £3.55m allocated for projects along the Cliftonville coastline, including the delivery of a Skatepark, improvements to accessibility to Walpole Bay by refurbishing the lift and the steps and providing facilities into Walpole Bay.
Thanet council says there are outline designs for the Skatepark site, and a design team has been engaged to develop the proposals for new beach facilities at Walpole Bay.
The projects
Margate Winter Gardens
Some £300,000 has been allocated from the £22.2million Margate Town Deal fund for an appraisal report on the venue and its future uses.
The initial Town Deal bid included a £4million allocation for works to the historic venue but this fell down when the government Department for Levelling Up – which issued the funding – asked for more detail on long-term plans which could not be supplied.
The council has appointed consultants Counterculture to put together a night time economy review and strategy for the district, and explore options for the future of the Winter Gardens.
All options for either lease arrangements, operator agreement or sale for the venue are being kept open.
In March a proposal to take the first steps to appoint a specialist to launch a marketing campaign was agreed.
A report to councillors said an immediate cost of £2.5m is needed for structural , building and mechanical and electrical works with a further £3.5m estimated over the next 10 years and total costs estimated at £6.25m.
The detailed marketing pack will be aimed at securing an organisation to refurbish, improve, maintain and operate the venue for uses that could include a concert hall, theatre, event spaces or leisure and tourism uses.
The Grade II listed building hosted its last performance on August 7 last year during the Margate Soul Festival before the lease was returned to Thanet council by Your Leisure and the doors were shut in readiness for an appraisal report on the venue and its future uses.
Theatre Royal
There is a £2m allocation for the Theatre Royal project. The Town Investment Plan states this will be used to improve the Theatre Royal and surrounding environment, to create a new hub of theatrical production.
Plans for the future of Margate’s Theatre Royal include marketing it with neighbouring 19 Hawley Square so facilities for food and drink can be created.
Theatre Royal closed its doors in April last year. A costed condition survey by Lee Evans Partnership carried out in 2021 reveals the theatre requires £2 million of necessary improvements to bring it up to modern standards, with £370,000 of this identified as urgent.
Thanet council says it is “seen as a five year project.”
The first stage of works will be to complete urgent works costing £370,000 for minor roof repairs, removal of the asbestos stage curtain, and fire protection measures and the provision of a proper ventilation system.
Once the urgent works have been completed, the next step will be to complete other structure works including; window repairs and decorations, plastering in lime plaster where plaster has failed, and ceiling repairs to the value of £400,000.
It is the second oldest working theatre in the country and has 465 seats. The building has been on the Theatres at Risk Register since 2018.
Margate Skatepark
Earmarked for the former putting green at Ethelbert Terrace with an allocation of £750,000 in town deal funding, £100,000 from artist Tracey Emin and £59,000 from Thanet council.
Headed by Nic Powley and Dan Cates, from Margate Skateboard Club, the plan is for the skate park and a kiosk with the kiosk having a hub for staff of the CIC to support community engagement activities and deliver health and wellbeing programmes.
Income from the kiosk will be used to maintain the toilets and the Skatepark, covering running and maintenance costs.
Following the approval of the Business Case in November 2022, the team are further developing the design of the skatepark, and preparing a Planning application.
Dreamland
A £4million allocation from the Margate Town Deal fund for Dreamland will be used towards the renovation and reopening the cinema building which has been empty for more than a decade.
The site will be turned into an entertainment and conference centre with space allocated to community use.
The allocation has caused controversy with some questioning why the privately owned business is receiving public funds. The Dreamland estate was sold by Thanet council to park operator Sands Heritage Ltd in 2020 for £7million – £2.3 million for the Dreamland estate and £4.7million to buy the car park area
The Town Deal Fund asks for private sector investment to match fund the public investment
Margate Creative Land Trust
Allocated £6 9m.
The aim is for the Trust to provide physical workspace at affordable rates for creative practitioners such as people working in design, music, publishing, architecture, film, gaming, crafts, visual arts, fashion, TV and radio, advertising, literature, computer games and the performing arts.
It will take on underused or empty properties through outright purchase of freehold properties or long leases, or through properties gifted or transferred to the Trust by public or private partners.
These will be used as affordable commercial space for creative industries and support services.
Since establishing charity status in April 2022, the MCLT has recruited a Board of trustees who work on a voluntary basis for the Trust. Formal Board structures and decision-making processes have been agreed and a property sub-committee is now in operation.
Decisions regarding the acquisition of properties in Margate are currently being discussed.
Funds from the MTD have been allocated for the initial set up of operations, such as creating a website and social media accounts, purchasing the website URL; advertising vacancies and HR administration.
The land trust has recruited a part-time Community Engagement and Communications manager on a 2-year fixed-term contract and aims to have a team of five part-time employees by the end of 2023.
It has hired in the services of an independent arts research company to carry out research into the needs and requirements of the creative businesses and individuals living and/or working in Margate, and in April 2023 launched a Creative Spaces Survey.
Access Walpole
£1.1m allocated for improvements to the tidal pool and surrounds, the steps, and reinstatement of the cliff lift plus the area in the immediate vicinity will be developed to include facilities such as a cafe or kiosk.
Outreach and highways
£900k for outreach/education programmes
£5.3m highway/public realm schemes
Thanet council has been asked for an update on projects and an outline of Town Deal spending to date.
